Prisoner charged with backpacker's murder

Police in Australia have charged a man with the murder of British backpacker Caroline Stuttle.

Ian Douglas Previte, 30, an inmate at Queensland prison, today appeared at Bundaberg magistrates, following a 10-month police investigation.

He was not required to enter a plea, and was remanded in custody after the brief hearing.

A police source said Mr Previte would be taken to the scene of Ms Stuttle's death to assist with the investigation.

Her father, Alan, today spoke of his relief: "It's a great start to the conclusion of the crime. It's been going on for some time now and hopefully we can draw a line under what has happened and we can get on with our lives now."

He said he did not expect the trial to take place for more than a year.

Ms Stuttle was killed during an apparent botched robbery on April 10 last year in the coastal town of Bundaberg, in Queensland. She was visiting the town with a friend to earn money picking fruit, during a gap-year holiday before starting a course at Manchester University.

The 19-year-old from Yorkshire had been returning to her caravan park after making a phone call, to her boyfriend, in the town centre.

She was crossing a busy road bridge over the Burnett river when she was accosted by a man who stole her bag and mobile phone. He is then believed to have thrown her from the bridge to the park, 30ft below.

Police DNA-tested young to middle-aged men in Bundaberg on a voluntary basis, but under Queensland state law, prison inmates can be compelled to provide samples for DNA analysis. Police would not say whether the testing led to Mr Previte's questioning.